australian open
Nadal to headline ‘Night of Legends’ at Australian Open
The event will be held on the same day as the AO Men’s Finals
January 19, 2026
Patrick Hamilton/AFP via Getty Images
Rafael Nadal won the Australian Open twice during his illustrious career.
Written by ATP Staff
Rafael Nadal will compete in the Australian Open’s “Legends Night” event on February 1, the same day as the men’s final. Nadal will be joined by former PIF WTA number one Ashleigh Barty and Australian wheelchair tennis player Dylan Alcott.
There will be interactive fan activities, live music from DJs and the opportunity to hear three stars perform at Kia Arena. Fans can win prizes such as tickets to the men’s final and photos with two-time Australian Open champion Nadal.
Nadal retired from professional tennis in November 2024 and lifted the Melbourne Trophy in 2009 and 2022, requiring five sets in both finals to win. In the 2022 final, Nadal completed an epic reversal in two sets, defeating Daniil Medvedev in a battle that lasted 5 hours and 24 minutes, and finally won. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has a 77-16 record in his first Grand Slam match of the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win-Loss Index.
In 2022, Barty became the first Australian woman to win a singles title at Melbourne Park in 44 years, winning the title just two months before announcing her retirement. Alcott is one of the most successful wheelchair tennis players in tournament history, winning multiple singles and doubles titles.
Nadal wasn’t the only retired tennis great to make a special appearance in Melbourne. The Spaniard’s arch-rival Roger Federer took part in Saturday’s star-studded opening ceremony. Federer, Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt, Patrick Rafter and Barty participated in the exhibition.
